I never know if I’m decluttering too much or too little – so, I asked professional organisers how often I should *really* be decluttering my home

I may be Ideal Home’s Editor for all things cleaning and organising, but I like to keep things real. I’m all about managing expectations, avoiding social media pressure, and realising that the ‘perfect’ home just doesn’t exist. That’s why I asked experts how often you should really declutter your home, so you can work smarter and not harder to achieve a clutter-free space... that's not clinical.

Yes, I know from firsthand experience that the many decluttering methods and checklists out there can be overwhelming. And while I love looking at picture-perfect houses on Instagram, they can often add to the pressure - especially when there’s not a rogue sock or Christmas card from 2022 in sight. But the reality is that everyone has clutter they need to tackle, and knowing how (and how often) to deal with it is key.

So, I reached out to some of my favourite pro organisers for insights on how often we should be decluttering our homes - and how we can achieve the biggest results with the least amount of work. This is what they had to say.

How often you should declutter your home

As soon as I asked the professional declutterers the big question, they all said the same thing: there is no right or wrong answer.

Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman from The Declutter Hub told me, ‘The honest answer is that it depends. Not on your willpower, but on where your home is right now. Before anything else, it’s important to understand the difference between decluttering, tidying, organising and cleaning, because they’re often confused.’

They say that cleaning is about the daily or weekly tasks that contribute to a hygienic, germ-free home - and the best cleaning products can help you with that. Organising is about creating practical systems to keep the items you use regularly both on hand and tidy simultaneously.

Then, they say that ‘decluttering is about making decisions. Choosing what stays in your home and what goes. If decluttering hasn’t happened first, tidying and organising tend to be hard work, and clutter quickly creeps back in.’

But instead of seeing decluttering as a scheduled event, Ingrid and Lesley want you to see decluttering as part of your lifestyle. And, ideally, you’ll get to the stage where you’re decluttering on a daily basis without actively realising it.

‘That’s where ‘little and often’ comes in. Five minutes here, ten minutes there’, they say. ‘Clearing a work surface, sifting through a drawer, emptying a bag. These small mini-projects stop clutter from building up in the first place. Over time, this approach creates a home that’s easier to manage and far less overwhelming.’

They’re not the only ones who think so, either. Shannon Murphy, Professional Organiser and Founder of Simpl Living Co, agrees, saying, ‘I believe decluttering works best when it becomes a mindset rather than a one-off event.’

However, if you thrive on structure and a plan and have very little free time, Shannon does suggest an alternative.

‘If life feels busy and decluttering slips down the priority list, dedicating one day a month to decluttering can be incredibly effective, especially in family homes,’ she advises. ‘This allows time to go through children’s clothing they may have grown out of, paperwork that has built up, or items that are broken or no longer serving a purpose.

When you should consider decluttering more

Of course, the aim is for decluttering to become as natural as breathing, but there are instances where you may need (or just want) to consider decluttering more. Below, you’ll find a few of those occasions - and how to declutter effectively when those times come.

1. If you have an upcoming event or life change

Whether you’re hosting guests over Christmas or preparing to move house, an upcoming event or life change may require additional decluttering. For example, you may need to declutter your spare bedroom of accumulated junk over the year, or declutter before moving home to reduce moving costs.

Alternatively, it could be that you’re gearing up to welcome a new addition to your home and need to declutter a junk room to make space for a nursery. Whatever the life event or change, it’s well worth taking a moment to determine whether you need to opt for a more focused declutter.

2. When the seasons change

It’s fair to say that one of the things that people with tidy bedrooms always have is proper wardrobe storage, but it’s hard to maintain organisation when they’re bursting at the seams. But a great way to prevent this is to declutter your clothes when the seasons change.

Shannon says, ‘Wardrobes are best decluttered seasonally, particularly when rotating from spring and summer to autumn and winter, and vice versa. This is a natural opportunity to touch every item and notice what you did not wear that season.’ The out-of-season items you keep can then be stored elsewhere, like in vacuum storage bags.

3. If you still feel overwhelmed

Naturally, decluttering, cleaning and organising your home should leave you feeling happy and calm in your home. But if you find that you’re consistently overwhelmed and stressed in your space, it may be that you need to up your decluttering regime.

Ingrid and Lesley say, ‘Sometimes you need to spend a more concerted amount of time working through your home, making bigger decisions and creating breathing space. Once that initial layer of clutter is reduced, daily decluttering becomes much easier and far more effective.’

Decluttering essentials

Well, there you have it. Decluttering shouldn't just be a chore to tick off your to-do list; it should be something you do naturally without really thinking about it!